What I disagree with is the recent move in Texas to allow private schools to partake in UIL sports. These schools have a distinct advantage as they can recruit and they offer scholarships.

Now, sports shouldn't be the focus of the school systems, but I see this move as a pretty bad idea.

When I was in a TAPPS school we played public schools and participated in their playoffs as well....there were certain rules there but I'd be lying to say I knew what they were.
Yes the aspect of recruiting and scholarships (outside possibly the level of property tax which is a public record) will add a negative aspect to it.

The school I went to did not do scholarships at all.

Looking at TAPPS now, I think we must not have been TAPPs, we played other 6man public schools almost exclusively. We were one of the only private schools.

Ouch. I didn't realize that they were allowing the private schools into UIL now.

And yes, sports shouldn't be the focus. But this is Texas. And in most districts here, they are the focus and sadly, the primary concern of a large percentage of the parents and students.

Congrats and good luck! I had to read your post a few times until I got it, I kept reading it as a "confusing travel job"!

:p:D


Good to hear!!

I have a few friends at Dow Jones and the Journal. If she's interested in the print side of things I could put out the :rolleyes: signal over there and see what comes back.

Right, they think getting involved with school is the booster club to raise money to for a charter bus to go to games, not actual education. that brand new AC school bus just isn't good enough; it doesn't have a lav with stinky blue chemicals.

My understanding is that they are not actually in UIL, they are simply allowed to play schools in UIL.

^^^
Couldn't agree more.

It is also important that the parents make the kids figure out how to deal with the problems they are faced with rather than the parents just solving them for the kids. When parents send emails back after the kid gets fired from a job that is a VERY bad thing. And it happens WAY too often.

I think she would be interested in anything that involves being back into the news reporting business. She loves investigative reporting and wrote her own stories. Any help or leads would be welcomed. Thanks.

I can haz new Chase checking account, and fiancee can haz World MasterCard. 50K combined miles Is Possible.

^ Decision making schools and responsibility are learned this way.

I am trying to look back to 1997-1998 records, not the best online record keeping of very small schools back then. :D

Yes, however common sense is on life support in this country.

Yep -- that's a big reason why my kids have gone to the public schools -- with the exception of the time we were in Brasil. There, they went to an American Int'l School -- very geographically diverse, for the most part -- so that was a positive attribute.^ (Of course the Brasilians there tended to be from the upper echelons of society).

I think there are 'helicopter' parents present in any school situation -- but probably more in the 'self of entitlement' type of schools!:rolleyes:

^

Huh what's that? C O M M O N - C E N T S? doesn't sound like it pays enough. Needs to be Common dollars, clearly that would be more acceptable.